MONROVIA – Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, 72, is dead. News of his passing filtered in early Thursday morning. Although the cause of his death has not officially been confirmed, information reaching The Analyst points to heart failure.
The former warlord-turned politician served as Nimba County senator since 2006 after he had featured prominently in the country’s First Civil War.
A former officer in the Armed Forces of Liberia, Johnson joined forces with Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) rebel group after it launched the First Liberian Civil War in 1989 to overthrow President Samuel Doe. Taylor and Johnson would later split. Johnson then formed his Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) which captured, tortured and executed Doe in 1990 in a gruesome gangland fashion. As cameras rolled, Johnson was seen clutching a can of Budweiser beer, demanding Doe to “bring the country’s money”.
Following continued clashes with Taylor and the pro-Doe ULIMO group, the INPFL was disbanded, and Johnson was forced into exile in Nigeria in 1992, where he converted to Christianity and reconciled with the Doe family.
Johnson returned to Liberia in 2004 following the end of the Second Liberian Civil War and was elected to the Liberian Senate in the 2005 Liberian general election. He founded a political party, the National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP) in 2010, before being expelled from it in 2014. He founded a new party, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) in 2016. He has since been re-elected to the Senate in 2014 and 2023. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for President in 2011 and 2017, respectively finishing in third and fourth place in the first round.
On 9 December 2021, Johnson was sanctioned by the United States Department of Treasury for alleged political corruption, claiming he would sell votes in elections for financial gains.
Apart from his active political life, Senator Johnson has managed over the years to quietly shed off his warlord garment in exchange for clerical and humanitarian ones, as evidenced by his founding and pastoring of the Christ Chapel of Faith Ministry, and the PYJ Polytechnic University in Ganta, Nimba County.
It can be recalled, Senator Johnson and Vice President Jeremiah Koung last Monday visited Ganta to dedicate one of the halls of the PYJ Polytechnic University, named in honor of the Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema. The occasion was graced by the Togolese Minister of Higher Education.
Weeping & Gnashing of Teeth amid mixed reactions
At the residence of Senator Johnson this morning, our reporter witnessed a sorrowfully chaotic scene as supporters and relatives of the fallen Nimba County Senator were seen openly mourning the death of their “redeemer”.
“Aye Nimba oh! Our pa is no more! Let them bring their war crimes court now o!” lamented a senior citizen who sat clutching her head in sorrow.
“This is really sad. Rest in peace,” remarked Emmanuel Gonquoi, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL).
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